Gallery: Europe sweats through heatwave

BERTRAND GUAY, AFP/Getty Images08.20.2012

A woman cools off in a fountain at the Andre Citroen park on August 19, 2012 in Paris, as the city sweltered under a summer heat wave. French authorities have issued a health alert for several regions this weekend after forecasters predicted unusually high temperatures in the southwest and centre of the country. An unexpected and sustained heat wave in the first two weeks of August 2003 left an estimated 15,000 mostly elderly people dead.

BERTRAND GUAY
/ AFP/Getty Images

People cool off in the water of the Trocadero’s fountains, on August 19, 2012 in Paris as the city sweltered under a summer heat wave. A level 2 alert on the 1-3 heat wave warning system is issued in 33 departments to ensure the public is aware of the need to ensure the well-being of the elderly, babies and other people particularly vulnerable to unusually high temperatures.LIONEL BONAVENTURE
/ AFP/Getty Images

People cool off in a fountain at the Andre Citroen park on August 19, 2012 in Paris, as the city sweltered under a summer heat wave. French authorities have issued a health alert for several regions this weekend after forecasters predicted unusually high temperatures in the southwest and centre of the country. An unexpected and sustained heat wave in the first two weeks of August 2003 left an estimated 15,000 mostly elderly people dead.BERTRAND GUAY
/ AFP/Getty Images

People cool off in a fountain at the Andre Citroen park on August 19, 2012 in Paris, as the city sweltered under a summer heat wave.BERTRAND GUAY
/ AFP/Getty Images

A girl jumps from the diving platform of the lido at the lake Ammersee near the small village Utting, southern Germany, on August 20, 2012. Many people enjoy the sunny hot weather with temperatures by 30 degrees near the seaside of the Ammersee. Temperatures in the German capital reached 30 degreesCHRISTOF STACHE
/ AFP/Getty Images

A boy jumps from the diving platform of the lido at the lake Ammersee near the small village Utting, southern Germany, on August 20, 2012. Many people enjoy the sunny hot weather with temperatures by 30 degrees near the seaside of the Ammersee. Temperatures in the German capital reached 30 degrees Celsius.CHRISTOF STACHE
/ AFP/Getty Images

Coloured sunshades stand on balconies of an residential house in Frankfurt, eastern Germany, on August 20, 2012. Meteorologists forecast sunny weather with temperatures up to 24 degrees for the coming days in northern Germany.PATRICK PLEUL
/ AFP/Getty Images

Coloured sunshades stand on balconies of an residential house in Frankfurt, eastern Germany, on August 20, 2012. Meteorologists forecast sunny weather with temperatures up to 24 degrees for the coming days in northern Germany.PATRICK PLEUL
/ AFP/Getty Images

An elephant takes a cooling shower in its enclosure at the zoo in Hanover, western Germany on August 20, 2012. Meteorologists forecast sunny weather with temperatures up to 24 degrees for the coming days in northern Germany.LUKAS SCHULZE
/ AFP/Getty Images

A couple cool off in the water of the Trocadero’s fountains, on August 19, 2012 in Paris as the city sweltered under a summer heat wave.LIONEL BONAVENTURE
/ AFP/Getty Images

A couple cool off in the water of the Trocadero’s fountains, on August 19, 2012 in Paris as the city sweltered under a summer heat wave.LIONEL BONAVENTURE
/ AFP/Getty Images

A tourist cools off in a fountain in downtown Rome on August 20, 2012, as a heat wave hits most of Europe this week.FILIPPO MONTEFORTE
/ AFP/Getty Images

Boys jump from the diving platform of the lido at the lake Ammersee near the small village Utting, southern Germany, on August 20, 2012. Many people enjoy the sunny hot weather with temperatures by 30 degrees near the seaside of the Ammersee. Temperatures in the German capital reached 30 degrees Celsius.CHRISTOF STACHE
/ AFP/Getty Images

A boy jumps from the diving platform of the lido at the lake Ammersee near the small village Utting, southern Germany, on August 20, 2012. Many people enjoy the sunny hot weather with temperatures by 30 degrees near the seaside of the Ammersee. Temperatures in the German capital reached 30 degrees Celsius.CHRISTOF STACHE
/ AFP/Getty Images

Festival goers gather in the warm weather at the V Festival in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, England, Sunday Aug. 19, 2012. The V-Festival attracts some top acts to the weekend event.Yui Mok
/ AP

An African elephant enjoys a refreshing shower during a heat wave, at the zoo in Erfurt, central Germany, Monday, Aug. 20, 2012. In some parts of Germany, temperatures rose to over 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).Jens Meyer
/ AP

An African elephant struggles with an ice treat, composed of a frozen mix of fruits and vegetables frozen in ice, during a heat wave at the zoo in Erfurt, central Germany, Monday, Aug. 20, 2012. In some parts of Germany temperatures rose over 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).Jens Meyer
/ AP

A boy jumps from the diving platform of the lido at the lake Ammersee near the small village Utting, southern Germany, on August 20, 2012. Many people enjoy the sunny hot weather with temperatures by 30 degrees near the seaside of the Ammersee. Temperatures in the German capital reached 30 degrees Celsius.CHRISTOF STACHE
/ AFP/Getty Images

People by the Trocadero fountains, with the Eiffel Tower in the background, as temperatures soared to 37C (98.6F), in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.Jacques Brinon
/ AP Photo

French people catch some sun on the grass of the Trocadero near to the Eiffel Tower, not pictured, as temperatures soared to 37C (98.6F), in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.Jacques Brinon
/ AP Photo

French people catch some sun on the grass of the Trocadero by the Eiffel Tower, seen in backgroud, as temperatures soared to 37C (98.6F), in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.Jacques Brinon
/ AP Photo

People catch some sun at the fountains of the Trocadero by the Eiffel Tower, not pictured, as temperatures soared to 37C (98.6F), in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.Jacques Brinon
/ AP Photo

French people catch some sun at the Trocadero fountains by the Eiffel Tower, as temperatures soar to 37C (98.6F), in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.Jacques Brinon
/ AP Photo

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